Dispenser for cigarettes and the like



y 1951 E. THOMAS ET AL 2,560,907

DISPENSER FOR CIGARETTES AND THE LIKE Filed May 6, 1948 '7 INVENTOR. 9 [drenET/wmara Patented July 17, 1951 DISPENSER FOR CIGARETTES AND THE LIKE I Loren E. Thomas and Ladford Bell,

, Port Huron, Mich..

Applicatioin May s, 1948, Serial No. 25,336

2 Claims. 1

Our invention relates to improvements in dispensing apparatus for cigarettes and similar articles, such as chewing gum, candies, matches, and the like.

It relates particularly to an apparatus by which cigarettes or the like, contained in a casing may be removed therefrom one at a time and held in an easily accessible dispensing position.

One of the objects of our invention is the provision of novel means of very simplified construction for removing the cigarettes and the like from the casing and elevating them, one at a time, to the dispensing position, or for ejecting them from the casing.

A further object of our invention is the provision of a novel apparatus of the kind described, which is simple, cheap to make, strong, durable, not likely to get out of order, and which is efficient in its operation.

With the foregoing and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention consists of certain novel details of construction and combinations of parts hereinafter more fully described and pointed out in the claim, it being understood that changes may be made in the construction and arrangement of parts without departing from the spirit of the invention as claimed.

In the accompanying drawings the preferred forms of the invention have been shown.

In said drawings:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of a preferred em.- bodiment of our invention as it appears after the removal of its top cover, showing its movable parts in one end position;

Fig. 2 is a fractional top plan view as Fig. 1;"

showing the movable parts of the device in an other end position;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a sectional view on the line 44 of Fig. 3, showing the removable parts of the device as they appear at the end of the dispensing movement;

Fig. 5 is a cross-sectional view as Fig. 4 showing the movable parts of the device as they appear at the beginning of the dispensing movement; and

Fig. 6 is a front elevation.

Similar reference characters refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

In the drawing the numeral I denotes a casing, which in the instance shown has the shape of a toycabin, but which may be of any other shape or design, and which has a removable top tending through the major upper portion of said casing from that section of the top which is opposite said perforation toward the wall 4 rests upon the latter withone end and upon a bar 5 with its other end. A wedge-shaped guide member 6 preferably is attached to one of the ,walls of casing I which is at right angles to the wall 4. The member 6 is parallel to the member 3 and is in spaced relation thereto.

A pin 1 extends laterally from the upper portion of the wall 4 through a cam. member or an ejector plate 8, which is pivotable thereon and which is located between the wall 4 and that wall of the casing I which is closest to, and parallel to, the wall 4. The plate 8 is P-shaped in the instance shown, and the pin 1 extends through its narrow foot portion beyond its center of gravity, so that the plate 8 has a tendency to assume the position shown in Figs. 1, 3, and 4. In this position the long, straight edge of the plate 8 is substantially flush with the upper edge of the wall 4. A blade 9 is secured to the narrow outer extremity of the foot portion of the P-shaped ejector plate 8 and has an outwardly curved endportion which'protrudes beyond said foot portion. A knob I0 extends laterally from the long, straight edge portion of the plate 8 into a recess I2 of a fan-like agitator plate I I, which is slidable upon the member 3 and is pivoted to the highest portion of the latter at 30. A downwardly diverging curved guide plate I3 is interposed between the wall 4' and that wall of the casing I which is closest to, and parallel to, the wall 4. A string I4 has one of its extremities secured to the foot portion ofsaid P-shaped ejector plate while its other extremity is secured to a door that is hinged at I8 to an open portion in a side Wall of the casing I. The string I4 is extended through guides I5 within the casing, ,I at a wall of the latter which is opposite the door I6. provided with a handle I1, and one of the lower corner portions of the wall 4 is removed (Figs. 4

and 5) for allowing the string I4 to pass there-'-v through.

Cigarettes 2| or any other articles adapted fordispensing by means of this device are placed.

The latter preferably isupon the plate I I as may be seen in Fig. 3. When the door I6 is closed, the parts 8, 9, I and I I are in the respective positions shown in Fig. 1, 3 and 4. In this position the long, straight edge of the P-shaped ejector plate 8 is horizontal and one of the cigarettes 2| rests thereupon. Upon opening the door I6, the string I4 pulls the plate 8 into an upright position. In. this position (Figs. 2' and 5) the cigarette H is in a substantially upright position, supported by the blade 9, and rests laterally against the curved guide plate I3. When the handle I! of the door I6 is released, the plate 8 is moved, by means of gravity back to its position of Figs. 1, 3 and 4, and the door I6 is closed by the pulling action of the string I4. Thereby the cigarette 2I is pushed through the aperture in the top 2, so that it extends beyond. the:

chimney 2 I, as indicated in dash-and-dotted lines in Fig. 4. When the plate 8 has reached its end position of Figs. 1, 3 amid, the cigarettes 2I slide down on the plate II, so that the next cigarette rests upon the long,1str'aight edge of the P-shaped ejector plate 8. The guide member 6 prevents a: rolling of the cigarettes 2| one upon the other, and the swinging movement of the plate I I. relative to the member 3 furthers the movement of the cigarettes 2| towards the plate 8.

While it will be obvious that the principle of our invention can be employed inconnection with a casing which is shaped and designed differently from the cabin shown, it will alsobe obvious that the string I4 can beattached to" a movable member which difiers from the door I6 of the present instance.

Since certain changes may be made in the above article and different embodiments of the invention could be made without departing from the scope thereof, it is intended that'all. matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawing shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in alimitingj sense.

It is also to be understood that the following claims; are intended to cover.- all of the generic and: specific features of the invention herein described, and all statements of the scope of the invention which as a matter of languagemight be said; to-fall therebetween.

Having thus fully described our said'invention, What we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1 Ina device of the character described, in combination, a casing having a removable top which is provided with a perforation in one of its corner portions and a movable member mounted in an open portion of one of the side walls of the casing, an intermediate wall which is lower than the" side walls of said casing extending upwardly within the latter from its bottom beneath the perforation in its top, a pin laterally extending from said intermediate wall toward that wallv of said casing which is closest to said intermediate wall, a P-shaped ejector plate between said intermediate wall and that wall of the casing which is'c'losest to said intermediate wall being pivotable on said pin which is extended through its narrow foot portion beyond itscenter gravity, an inclined member extended from the upper edge of said intermediate wall towards the top of said casing, a fan-shaped agitator plate being pivoted to the higher portion of said inclined member and having a recess in its edge portion adjacent said ejector plate, a knob extending laterally from the long straight edge portion of said ejector plate and engaging the recess in said agitator plate, a; blade extending laterally from the foot edge of said P-shaped ejector plate beyond its long straight edge, a downwardly diverging curved guide plate between said intermediate wall and that wall of the casing which is closest to said intermediate wall having. its curved edge portion in juxtaposition to said blade, and a string having one of its extremities secured to the foot portionofsaid. P shaped ejector plate whileits other extremity" is secured w the movable member in one of the side walls of said casing and being extended through guiding means within said casing on a wall which is rightangularly disposed to said intermediate wall, said string being adapted for moving said ejector plate ninety degrees-'upon-moving said movable member, thereby a cigarette resting horizontally upon an edge of said: ejector plate. being swung upright and toward said curved guide, so that it will be pushed along said guide through the perforation in the top of said casing when. the ejector plate returns toitsoriginal position.

2. Adispenser; for-.1cigarettes; and; the like, in combination, axcasing havinga removable.- top which is provided with a perforation in, one, of its; corner portions: and: a movable; member mounted in an-open portion of one of the side walls of thecasing,-a.-P-shapedcam member:be ing pivotable; on a pin extended through its-narrow foot portion and being locatedwithimsaid casing beneath theperforation in the top of the latter, an inclined member extending through the major upper portion of said casing from that section of: the top-which is oppositesaid perforastion towards said cam member, a. fan-shaped agitator plate being-pivoted to the higher; portion of said inclined-member and having a recesspin its edge portion-adjacent said; cam member, a knob extending laterally from the long straight edge of said cam member intotherecess insaid agitator plate, av blade extending laterally" from the foot edge of: said P sha-ped-cam member, beyond its straight edge, a downwardly diverging curvedmguide plate between said intermediate wall and: that-wall of the casing which is closest to said intermediate wall having its. curved edge portion in juxtaposition to. said blade, and a string having one of its extremities secured to the foot portion of said P-shaped cam member while: its other extremity isgsecured to the movable member in one of. the side walls ofsaid casing and being extended through guiding: means within said casing on a wall which is rightangularly disposed to said cam member, said string being adapted. for movingosaid ejector plate ninety degrees upon moving said movable member, thereby a cigarette resting horizontall-yupon an edge of said ejector plate being swung upright and to.- ward said curved guide, so thatit. be pushed along said guide through the, perforation in; the top of said casing when the ejector plate returns to its original position. H I

' LOREN E. THOMAS. LADFORD. BELL.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are" of' record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 937,092 Piguocco Oct. 19, 1909 1,287,373 MeGladrey Dec. 10, 1918 1,972,591 Hnath 1- Sept, 4, 193.4 1,997,796 Jay Apr. 16', 1.935, 

